✅ What’s Included
• Small-group minibus transport with air-conditioning and USB chargers
• Professional local guide with live commentary
• Multilingual audio guide in 14 languages
• All national park entry fees
• Complimentary bottled water
• Pickup and drop-off from selected Melbourne CBD locations

🚫 What’s Not Included
• Breakfast and lunch (own expense at stops)
• Helicopter flight (optional extra)
• Travel insurance
• Personal items or souvenirs

The Great Ocean Road is beautiful year-round but weather can change quickly along the coast.
• Summer (Dec–Feb) • Daytime 20–28 °C • Warm and sunny with longer daylight
• Autumn (Mar–May) • Daytime 15–23 °C • Mild with beautiful light and fewer crowds
• Winter (Jun–Aug) • Daytime 10–16 °C • Cooler and possibly wet – still spectacular
• Spring (Sep–Nov) • Daytime 15–22 °C • Green and fresh with wildflowers
Practical note: Pack layers and a light rain jacket – conditions can shift fast near the ocean.

Documents & Essentials
• Photo ID and booking confirmation
• Any personal medication

Clothing (layered for coastal conditions)
• Comfortable walking shoes for short walks and beach steps
• Light layers, hat, sunglasses and a compact rain jacket
• Windproof jacket for clifftop stops

Toiletries & First Aid
• Sunscreen, lip balm and insect repellent
• Small basic first-aid kit

Electronics
• Charged phone and portable power bank
• Camera for the views

Accessories & Nice-to-Haves
• Reusable water bottle (refills available)
• Small daypack for personal items

The Great Ocean Road stretches 243 km along Victoria’s south-west coast and is one of Australia’s most iconic scenic drives.

The Twelve Apostles are actually seven remaining limestone stacks, constantly shaped by the powerful Southern Ocean.

Loch Ard Gorge is named after a 19th-century shipwreck whose survivors washed ashore at this dramatic site.

Mait’s Rest is a peaceful pocket of ancient rainforest in the Great Otway National Park, home to towering ferns and towering trees.

Wild koalas are regularly seen in the Otways – the area is one of the best places in Victoria to spot them in the wild.

Apollo Bay is a relaxed surf town known for fresh seafood and as a gateway to the Otway Ranges.

The reverse itinerary was designed so guests can enjoy the most famous stops early in the day before larger tour buses arrive.

The road itself was built by returned soldiers in the 1930s and remains a symbol of Australian engineering and resilience.

Weather here is famously changeable – one minute sunny, the next a sea mist rolls in, which only adds to the wild beauty.

Carbon Footprint & Offset Report: Great Ocean Road Reverse Itinerary Boutique Tour

Quick Snapshot

Estimated CO₂e footprint per participant: 95 kg CO₂e
(higher-end conservative estimate – covers all on-tour impacts plus average local travel to/from Melbourne pickup points)

Our 200% offset commitment per booking: 190 kg CO₂e
Funded through genuine landscape restoration in climate-vulnerable developing regions (reforestation, mangroves, soil regeneration, etc.). This creates real net-positive impact beyond neutrality.

Tour summary

• Full-day tour (departs early ~6:30–6:50am, returns Melbourne ~7:00pm)
• Small group (maximum 11 passengers)
• Starts from Melbourne CBD pickup points (196 Flinders St, 313 La Trobe St, 44 Spencer St)
• Spacious air-conditioned minibus (~480 km round trip)
• No meals or accommodation included
• Highlights: Reverse itinerary to beat crowds (12 Apostles first), Razorback, Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps beach walk, 20-minute Great Otway rainforest walk, Kennett River koala spotting, Teddy’s Lookout, Lorne beachfront

Overview

This report estimates the carbon footprint for one individual participant on this tour using higher-end data from trusted sources. We intentionally choose upper-range figures to fully cover every impact – including hard-to-measure parts like supply chains and indirect effects.

We then double it (200%) and fund genuine landscape restoration projects in developing and climate-affected regions worldwide. This goes beyond standard offsetting to deliver real, lasting benefits for ecosystems and communities.

All figures in kg CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent – the standard measure that includes all greenhouse gases).

Tour Details

• Duration: Full day
• Key locations: Melbourne CBD start/end, inland rural breakfast stop, 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps, Great Otway National Park rainforest, Kennett River, Teddy’s Lookout, Lorne
• Travel style: Boutique small-group day tour with reverse itinerary for crowd-free views and guided commentary
• Assumptions: Average participant, standard behaviours, higher-impact choices where uncertain. Local travel to Melbourne CBD pickup points is factored into the higher-end footprint for completeness.

Calculation Approach

• Sources: UK DEFRA 2025 conversion factors, Australian National Greenhouse Accounts 2024, UNWTO tourism data, IPCC guidelines, and peer-reviewed studies.
• Higher-end scale: Upper-range emission factors everywhere, plus well-to-tank fuel effects, +20% uncertainty buffer, and conservative assumptions for Melbourne-to-Great-Ocean-Road minibus operations and tourism-level food purchases.
• Per person, full tour experience.
• Excludes only purely personal extras (e.g. souvenirs or optional activities).

Detailed Emissions Breakdown (per participant)

Transportation – 55 kg CO₂e

• Average local travel to/from Melbourne CBD pickup points (higher-end mix): 25 kg
• All on-tour spacious minibus transfers (~480 km round trip, shared max 11): 30 kg – higher-end diesel factor with realistic low-occupancy buffer

Accommodation – 0 kg CO₂e

• Day tour only – no overnight stay

Meals & Food – 20 kg CO₂e

• No meals included; higher-end estimate for own breakfast/lunch purchases (rural town & Port Campbell/Apollo Bay): 20 kg – tourism-level portions and waste

Activities & Excursions – 20 kg CO₂e

• Guided reverse itinerary stops, 20-minute rainforest walk, wildlife spotting (koalas/parrots) and commentary

TOTAL ESTIMATED FOOTPRINT PER PERSON: 95 kg CO₂e

Our 200% Offset Commitment

• Amount we will offset:2 × 95 kg = 190 kg CO₂e per individual booking
• How: Direct funding of landscape restoration projects – reforestation, mangrove protection, regenerative agriculture, wetland and soil carbon restoration
• Where: Developing countries and regions most affected by climate change (e.g. Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America) for maximum global benefit and community co-benefits
• Why 200% and higher-end estimates: To guarantee coverage despite any measurement discrepancies and to create genuine extra positive impact

Important Notes

• Numbers are deliberately conservative (higher) so we over-deliver on restoration – real footprint may be lower
• The tour already has strong sustainability practices (small groups for minimal impact, reverse itinerary to reduce crowding, audio guide in 14 languages); our independent higher-end analysis adds extra certainty
• Carbon accounting has natural uncertainties – doubling it is the responsible way
• This directly supports long-term carbon-sequestering landscapes and local communities

How many people will be on the tour?
Maximum 12 guests for a personal small-group experience.

What time does the tour start and finish?
Pickup begins around 6:30 am from Melbourne CBD; drop-off is between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm.

Are children allowed?
Children 7 years and older are welcome. Children under 7 cannot be accommodated due to VicRoads regulations.

Is the tour suitable for all fitness levels?
Yes – the walks are short and easy. The 20-minute rainforest walk at Mait’s Rest is gentle.

Do I need to bring lunch?
Lunch is at your own expense in Apollo Bay – your guide will recommend great options.

What if it rains?
We run rain or shine – the scenery is still spectacular and the minibus is comfortable.

Is there space for luggage?
No room for large luggage, strollers or scooters on board.

Can I add the helicopter flight?
Yes – you can add the optional helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles when booking.